The first sign that she was not alone came in silence.
Not in words. Not in declarations. But in the way eyes lingered a fraction too long when she walked through the courtyard. In the way conversations hushed—not out of fear, but out of watchfulness. In the way certain warriors stood just slightly closer to her during training, forming an almost invisible perimeter.
Aria noticed.
Moonfire noticed first.
They know you, Lyr’s voice murmured in her mind as she sparred against the training post, her fists striking wood with controlled precision. Not who you are now. Who you were meant to be.
She exhaled slowly. Sweat clung to her skin, the afternoon heat pressing down over Silvercrest like a warning. For days now, something had shifted in the pack. The tension had no
